House speaker’s water PAC raises almost $1 million

House Speaker Joe Straus is leading a campaign to sway voters to approve a water measure on next month’s constitutional amendment ballot. (AP Photo)

AUSTIN — A political action committee headed by House Speaker Joe Straus to promote passage of a ballot proposition funding new water projects has raised almost $1 million since its creation in August.

The Water Texas PAC reported contributions of more than $952,000 for the period between July 31 and September 26, according to a new campaign finance report. More than half of the haul, a total of $625,000, came from a pair of six-figure checks written by the Associated General Contractors of Texas and the Dow Chemical Company.

Straus’ Water Texas PAC officially formed on August 1. Rep. Allan Ritter, a Republican from Nederland and a key architect of the water plan, is serving as treasurer.

According to the report, the biggest single donation came in the form of a $375,000 check from the Texas chapter of the Highway, Heavy, Utilities and Industrial Branch of the Associated General Contractors of America. Chemical giant Dow contributed $250,000 and Energy Future Holdings pitched in another $100,000.

Hefty five-figure contributions also flowed from a number of PACs, corporations and outside groups, including GOP mega donors the Koch brothers, who gave $20,000 from their energy company called Koch industries. San Antonio-based Valero also donated $25,000 and Perry Homes, the Houston-based business founded by deceased Texas Republican super-donor Bob Perry, contributed $5,000.

“Water Texas is pleased to have support from businesses and organizations representing a broad spectrum of the Texas economy who understand the critical importance of water to jobs, economic growth and the future of our state,” PAC spokesman Sean Hayes said in a statement.

The PAC also reported spending more than $91,000 during the roughly eight-week period.

Of that, almost $52,000 was spent on telephone surveys to gauge voter opinion on the ballot proposal. Another $10,000 went to an Austin-based consulting firm to help manage the water campaign.

Although the PAC has spent only $91,000 of the nearly $1 million raised so far, it reported having only $488,000 cash on hand.